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Civil War Nurses

Civil War Nurses are an interesting group of military nurses. You see, most
of them were not in the military. The majority of the nurses who treated
wounded and dying soldiers for the Union and Confederate armies weren't even
paid for their work. They were volunteers who often had to overcome bureaucracy
and paternalism to help soldiers on and off the battlefield.

The civil war could be said to be the catalyst for many things in the United
States. Battlefield medicine was primitive and "the golden hour" was one
hundred years away from being a life saving concept. Many famous names in
nursing and other pursuits were instrumental in changing how battlefield
medicine and military healthcare was delivered. We have all heard of Florence
Nightingale. She was instrumental in getting better medical treatment for
soldiers injured in the Crimean War (1853-1856). A number of nurses had learned
about the concepts of fresh air, clean environment and ensuring that wounded and
ill soldiers received compassionate care. These nurses had been exposed to
Florence Nightingales philosophy of nursing care. Famous nurses from the Civil
War era included Dorothea Dix, Clara Barton, Mary Todd Lincoln, Walt Whitman,
Louisa May Alcott. Admittedly, the last three were not famous for nursing
reasons. But, each of them served as a nurse and provided care during the civil
war.

Many of the more than 2000 civil war nurses who served during the civil war
are unsung heroes. Due to the manner of record keeping and the lack of real
attention being paid to the many women and some men who served as battlefield
angels their names are often lost and un-recorded. There were some who kept
journals, wrote memoirs and were recognized. A few became prominent for the
causes they championed. But, all of them are to be commended for wanting to do
more than stay at home and sew.

Battlefield surgery at that time often consisted of holding a soldier down
while the surgeon cut and sewed up the wound. Ether and modern principles of
anesthesia were in short supply. These battlefield angels wrote letters home,
comforted dying soldiers, changed bandages, fed, bathed, and took care of
wounded and sick soldiers. They saw the horrors of war and trauma from a very
close perspective. The influence of these experiences probably played a part in
the many causes and changes they championed after the civil war.

The confederate army actually commissioned a woman at the rank of Captain and
put her in charge of the main hospital in Richmond. She was reported as the only
woman to be commissioned in the confederate army. Her name was
Sallie Louisa
Tompkins. "Captain Sally" received a full military funeral when she
died in 1916.

The Civil War was the catalyst for many changes in the United States.
Nursing as a profession for women who were not of low character was probably one
of the most significant changes. Women like Clara Barton and Dorothea Dix made
nursing respectable.

Many of the jobs women in the civil war did may not seem related to nursing
but had an impact on soldiers health. Soldiers Aid Societies often ensured
that medicines, bandages, and clean supplies were delivered to the soldiers.
Civil War Nurses often worked as nurses and members of the soldiers aid
societies. Sanitation Commissions were responsible for everything from contract healthcare and
hospital services to outright sanitation and ensuring camp hygiene.

Some interesting facts and a good list of civil war nurses can be found at